The Pimpri?Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has approved funding of Rs 8.5 million (mn) for the Detailed Project Report of Maharashtra’s first Electric Rapid Transit System pilot project. The decision followed a presentation to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the PCMC administration. The allocation will fund detailed technical, environmental and financial studies required to design the pilot corridor and prepare procurement documentation. The studies will also evaluate ridership forecasts and integration with existing services.

The 17 km pilot corridor will run from Godown Chowk to Wakad and will include stops at Godown Chowk, Kudalwadi Chowk, Auto Cluster, Kalewadi Phata, Jagtap Dairy Chowk and Wakad. The proposed alignment is intended to improve connectivity across Moshi, Chikhali, Talawade, Kiwale and Ravet and to link major roads such as the Pune–Nashik Highway and the Old Mumbai?Pune Highway. Planners anticipate the route will help reduce traffic congestion. The corridor will connect residential and industrial areas with major employment nodes.

The e?RTS is conceived as a fully electric, road?based system intended to provide a metro?like travel experience with low floor boarding for universal access, air conditioning and onboard Wi?Fi. Each vehicle can carry up to 240 passengers and the system is designed to operate quietly with lower operating costs and a service life of more than 20 years. The pilot seeks to demonstrate a passenger?friendly and sustainable mobility option. Design work will prioritise accessibility and operational efficiency.

The DPR phase will assess alignment, station design, vehicle specifications, cost estimates and environmental impacts before any procurement or construction decisions. It will examine right of way requirements and integration with existing public transport such as bus rapid transit and regional rail. Local officials indicated the exercise will inform future network planning and policy decisions for Pimpri?Chinchwad. Timelines will be defined after completion of the DPR and stakeholder consultations.